May Be Forced Into Closing

[kidkair]

I haven't been able to get a new client in the last 6 to 8 months. I've lost 2 without much warning this year and am down to 2 children. One of my clients just informed me today that she's starting to look for closer care because gas prices are breaking her budget. I'll be down to one kid and then one school-ager during the summer. This sucks. I'm not sure how long I can hang on to the hope I'll get another client. I've had a few extra calls lately but only one that may start soon. The other two I talked to were extremely rude and I'm just not willing to bend my rules for rude people. I'm at a loss as to whether I bend my rules just to get clients and thereby suffer lots of stress during the day but have money or to stick to my rules and hope for more clients that are willing to follow them. I'm scared that I may have to close because I don't know what other kind of job to get. I love running my own daycare. Bills are getting hard but still manageable but if I loose another kid I'm not sure my husband and I can make it.

[cheerfuldom]

Do you have any other options for advertising? What are you currently doing? Are you sure your rates are competitive?

[MsMe]

What kind of rules do they want to break? i have always had VERY firm 7:30 to 5:15 hours but if I was in trouble I may consider taking new hours. If I was in really big trouble I might take 20 off to get the other 115 in income. There are soem rules I would break if it was all or nothing but ony you knwo what you can live with. May you could tell us what they are askign and we could help you debate eth pros and cons...?

[kidkair]

For advertising I'm registered with CCR&R, craigslist, signs on my fence, facebook posts. I'll put up fliers in the grocery stores around town after I get back from my trip in May and possibly advertise in the paper then too.

The rules I have been asked to bend or ignore are:
* paying before care: I've been asked by those on county assistance to just wait for county to take over but I've had issues with not getting county papers within the first two weeks before hence the rule.
* doing hourly rather than weekly: Again a county thing. County only allows a certain amount of hours for some people and they want to spread it over days rather than one or two days a week.
* dropping off after 9 or picking up during lunch or nap: been there done that. no thanks.
*reserving without paying for the spot for months in advance: learned not to do this from postings on this forum
*allowing pacifiers: this is one I can bend cause I can just wean the kid myself
*staying past 5pm: I used to be open until 6pm but 11 hours is just too long for me.
*starting date: I try for two interviews before a Monday start date and some have been trying to push me into a Monday start date when the call on the Wednesday before they want to start. These people are usually very rude and hang up on me when I tell them about needing to pay in advance and I'll write them a refund check once county kicks in.

As far as rate I think I'm pretty on par if not below the average around here. I do a curriculum and absolutely no electronics so I know that puts my quality of care above others in the area yet still a step below those that offer organic food.

[cheerfuldom]

I wouldn't budge on anything involving payment either but it sounds like you may have to be more flexible with drop-off/pick up in order to get some families started.

[MarinaVanessa]

None of the rules that you listed seem out of the ordinary, in fact they all seem very reasonable. Well except for the pacifier thing but like you said you can always wean them off yourself.

You may have to consider offering more services or extended hours even if you really don't want to if you want to keep doing daycare. It seems everything else you are doing is fine. You can think about offering earlier or later hours on a case by case basis and just let them know the during these hours the kids will be participating in your regular family happenings. For example I have a DCG that gets here at 6am and the next kid doesn't get here until 8am. When she gets here she lays down and goes back to sleep (the rest of the family is sleeping) and when she wakes up she gets to watch Sprout on tv until the next kid arrives. I also now offer occasional weekend care (for an additional fee) and for these days they pretty much get free play all day while I do housework or they go with me to run errands etc.

You could always do something like that to try to get more clients and then if you are able to, you can let them go later. Once things get more stable economically I'll cancel weekend care and probably let one family go. For the moment I will take what I can get and save what money I can.

I agree with you however about not being lenient about paying fees until their subsidy payments begin. I do this also and it has saved my bottom before.

[SandeeAR]

I never set a "Passy" rule. However, when they bring them in the door with a passy, the first thing I do is take it out, and place it in the going home bag. I only give them passies at nap time. The under 6 months, bunch, I will use them as needed, but once they are 6 months, it becomes, a nap time only thing. Never even mention it to the parents, I just do it.

Most times, before they are out the door, parents have the passy in the mouth and they aren't even crying.

[Michael]

You also have over 200 posts here. That allows you to list your facility on the Daycare.com registry for free for a year. PM me if interested.

[kidkair]

I think I'll relax on some of my rules and allow for a wider range of differences in routine and stuff but not relax on the payment issues.

Thanks Michael for letting me know I'll add it to my list to do after my May vacation.

Thanks for the input everyone.